Desperate East Bengal hope to return to winning ways

Kolkata, Feb 3 (PTI) As the I-League title race has
opened up after defeat of leaders Minerva Punjab, third-placed
East Bengal will look to get some crucial points when they
clash with Indian Arrows here tomorrow.

I-League leaders Minerva Punjab's five-match unbeaten run
came to an end when Churchill Brothers beat them 2-1 in a
closely-contested match in Goa yesterday.

This gives East Bengal a chance to catch up with Minerva,
who have 26 points, six more than East Bengal.

Of the six remaining matches, East Bengal play three at
home and take on Minerva in an away match as Khalid Jamil's
team cannot afford to lose from now on.

Two goals inside the opening quarter of the hour by
Mahmoud Al Amna and Katsumi Yusa had handed East Bengal a 2-0
victory over the developmental outfit of the All India
Football Federation, last month.

Indian Arrows have three wins from 13 matches as they
have 11 points to remain on eighth place in the table.

Incidentally, the win in the capital was East Bengal's
last win of the I-League as since then they they dropped
points in three matches and suffered a 0-2 thrashing against
arch-rivals Mohun Bagan in the derby.

In their last outing, East Bengal bounced back from two
goals deficit to hold leaders Minerva Punjab FC to a 2-2 draw
on January 30.

Less than a week later, East Bengal will return to
Barasat Stadium as their second half fightback will give them
an air of positivity.

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"We did not go down easily in the last match. We scored
two and we have to fight similarly in this match. They (Indian
Arrows) are playing well. We have to play good as well," Jamil
said on the eve of their match.

"We must think about our game. It doesn't matter where
the match is, our work is to play, no matter where. There is
pressure. We have six more games to prove ourselves. We have
to rectify our mistakes and move on."

Winless in their three matches, Arrows on the other hand
will look for their inspiring show against Mohun Bagan when
they returned with a draw.

"This is a place of football. I have very good memories
from the time we played against Mohun Bagan," their coach Luis
Norton de Matos remembered about their 1-1 draw.

"For us, we are going to try to be our best as usual.
East Bengal are a team to challenge. A lot of concentration is
needed to face them. It is going to be difficult but not an
impossible mission."

"To play at Salt Lake Stadium would have been fantastic
for the boys. But we have to play on artificial grass, it is
difficult," he commented.

"I am sure they have developed, what people expected from
them, they have done better than that. It is important for
every club to use boys aged 16-17, only then Indian football
will develop